Joseph Young
Family History Site

Last Updated 16 May 2006
(Maintenance Update 19 July 2011)

Joseph Young was born April 7, 1797, in Hopkinton, Massachusetts. An early convert to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he worked on the Kirtland Temple, participated in Zion's Camp, was in the Haun's Mill Massacre, and was expelled with the Saints from Missouri and Nauvoo. He was called as one of the Presidents of the Seventy when Joseph Smith first organized the quorum. He soon became its senior president and served in that position for the rest of his life. In 1850 he led a copy of pioneers to Utah, where he had grazing grounds and ran a mill. For 30 years he traveled throughout the territory preaching to and encouraging the Saints and delivering aid to of missionaries and their families. Joseph had 6 wives and 22 children. He died July 16, 1881, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Note: This page is a collection of resources for family historians working on Joseph's family. It is a subpage of the John Young Family History Page, found at http://young.parkinsonfamily.org/john. Most or all the photos listed here are available as high-resolution scans or high-quality photo prints free or at cost to family members. Direct inquiries to the webmaster, Ben Parkinson, at "feedback at parkinsonfamily.org" (replace "at" with "@").

Joseph Young Family Genealogy

Joseph's family. If you have questions, suggestions, or information to add, please contact the webmaster, Ben Parkinson, at "feedback at parkinsonfamily.org" (replace "at" with "@").

———, Account of 1844 Mission, from his journal. Transcribed and proofread by Benson Young Parkinson. Joseph stayed with his father-in-law Calvin Bicknell (see letters below) and received one indirect death-threat (Joseph Smith was killed while Joseph Young was on this mission).

Joseph Young, Statement of Latter-day Saint Beliefs, in John Hayward, The Religious Creeds and Statistics of Every Christian Denomination in the United States and British Provinces (Boston, 1836), 13942; sometimes referred to as a precursor of the Articles of Faith.

Letters

Joseph Young,
letter to Phinehas Richards, Kirtland, Ohio, 27 Oct. 1836, BYU Special Collections, Vault MSS 306. He talks about working as a painter in Kirtland and invites Phineas to join him and Brigham. Webmaster has a transcript.

Laurence Bicknell Johnson, The Pines Letters (Bordentown, N.J, 1954), 112 pages. Transcripts of many letters to and from Calvin Bicknell's family, including some from Jane, Joseph, and Le Grand Young (see above for selected transcripts).

Other Primary Sources

Vilate Young, Jane Adeline Bicknell Young; sometimes called "From the Statement of Vilate Young, 1907 (Notes on the Life of Her Mother, Jane Bicknell Young)"; I have several versions, including a faint photocopy of a handwritten version which appears to be the original. This gives much detail on Jane and Joseph and basically completes "The Chronological..." through the Nauvoo period, and also gives some Bicknell genealogy. Title on one of the transcripts Transcript from holograph.

Seymour B. Young Sr., How I Gained My Testimony, in Young Woman's Journal, vol. 4. no. 5 (Feb 1893), pp. 21723. The first few pages give glimpses of Joseph Young as a father and healing a man as they crossed the plains.

"The Mormons: History of Their Leading Men,"American Phrenological Journal and Life Illustrated, vol. 44, no. 5, November, 1866, p. 144151; includes woodcuts similar but inferior to a series in Harper's Weekly (see photos above).

Larry C. Porter, "Whitingham, Vermont: Birthplace of Brigham Young—Prophet, Colonizer, Statesman," in Susan Easton Black and Larry C. Porter, Lion of the Lord: Essays on the Life and Service of Brigham Young (Deseret Book, 1995), 1–19; good background on Joseph's childhood.

Family with Jane Adeline Bicknell (Young)

Vilate Young, Jane Adeline Bicknell Young; sometimes called "From the Statement of Vilate Young, 1907 (Notes on the Life of Her Mother, Jane Bicknell Young)"; I have several versions, including a faint photocopy of a handwritten version which appears to be the original. This gives much detail on Jane and Joseph and basically completes "The Chronological..." through the Nauvoo period, and also gives some Bicknell genealogy. Transcript from holograph.

Kara Seager-Segalla, comp., "Jane Adeline Young Robbins," posted on worldconnect.rootsweb.com, last updated 2006-01-11, used by permission. This history and its companion pieces (see below) compiles the information from several histories submitted to the Daughters of Utah Pioneers and adds new information. Note: See the correction in husband Charles's funeral, which implies that Charles and Jane did not separate.

Seymour Bicknell Young, Diaries, around 40 volumes, Historical Department Archives, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. These mix family and Church business so are restricted. I have notes on several volumes, particularly on his 1857 mission to England and his experiences in the Union Army.

Lennie S. Riter, comp., "The Life Sketch of Seymour Bickwell Young, Pioneer of 1850," information furnished by his son, Clifford E. Young, and his granddaughter Edith Young Harris. On file at Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum.

Edith Young Harris and Miriam Young Farnsworth, "Seymour Bicknell Young," submitted 2001, on file at Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum.

Family with Sarah Jane Snow (Kinsman) (Young)

Call to Family Members

Please share your histories and photos. Our goal is to gather transcripts and high-resolution scans on Joseph, his wives, all their children, and all their spouses, and make them available to all family members. Contact Benson Young Parkinson, webmaster, at "feedback at parkinsonfamily.org" (replace "at" with "@").